Auxiliary gap closing mechanism



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July 26, 1960 P. HAAs 2,946,209

AUXILIARY GAP CLOSING MECHANISM Filed March 3l, 1959 FIELzl. n

INVENrn; P AUL HAAs y ATTYSl AUXILIARY GAP CLOSING MECHANISM Paul Haas, Horsham, Pa., assigner to Fidelity M achne Company, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 803,186

Claims. (Cl. 66-112) The present invention relates to circular knitting machines, and -has particular application to multiple feed knitting machines having at least two feed stations. The present invention provides means for closing the gap in the latch ring at the successive feeding stations.

In the operation of a knitting machine, rotation of the needle cylinder within the latch ring causes the latches of the needles to swing outwardly under centrifugal force. The latch ring liner limits the outward displacement of the latches except when the needles are lowered to stitchforming level. However, in order to afford introduction and withdrawal of yarns, the latch ring liner is out away tates Patent O at each feed station a distance to accommodate the bank of yarn feed fingers. At each side of the gap, the liner is formed to provide a cam surface which deflects the latches downwardly, but not infrequently when the cylinder is rotating at high speed, the engagement of the cam surface with the latches breaks the latter before there is an opportunity for the latches to return to their lower position. Thus, it is desirable to close the gaps during the intervals when the feed fingers are stationary and open the gap only when knitting yarns are being inserted into or Withdrawn from operation. It has been proposed to provide a separate gap closer for each of the feed stations of a knitting machine, but the extra mechanism for operating the separate closers have unduly complicated the already compact arrangement of the knitting head. it has also been proposed to use a single actuating mechanism for two separate gap closers which are interconnected to operate in unison. While this may be satisfactory in some instances, it frequently occurs that it is necessary to open only the gap of the auxiliary feed without opening the main feed gap, for instance, when inserting and withdrawing the auxiliary feed yarn when the main feed yarn is retained in operation.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary gap closer which may be operated by the main gap closer without causing the main gap to open.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary gap closer which is operated Without the necessity for links or other permanent connections thereto overlying the latch ring liner which might foul the operation ofthe feed fingers or other mechanism of the knitting head.

More speciticially, the present invention provides an auxiliary gap closer slidably mounted for circumferential displacement in the latch ring and operable to engage the free end of the main gap closer to be displaced circumferentally by the latter upon completion of the gap closing operation of the same.

All of the objects of the invention and the various features and details of the contruction and operation thereof are more fully set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view (with certain elements removed) ICC of a knitting head embodying gap closing mechanism made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the knitting head partially in section at an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 2 showing the gap closing mechanism in operative position to close the gaps at the main and auxiliary feed stations.

Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive are sectional views taken on the lines 45-4 to 7-7 respectively of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the auxiliary gap closing element;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the main gap closing element with a central portion broken away; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the free end of the main gap closing element as seen from the opposite side.

With reference to Fig. 1, the illustra-ted knitting machine 10 comprises a latch ring 11, a needle cylinder indicated in broken lines at 12, a bank of main feed fingers 13, and a bank of auxiliary feed fingers 14 of conventional form. The dial shown at 15 in Fig. 4 is omitted from the drawing in Figs. 1 3. The latch ring 11 consisting of an outer casting .16 and an inner liner 17 forming a wide groove at 1S for receiving the main gap closing element 19 and also forming a relatively narrow groove 21 for receiving the auxiliary gap closing element 22.

The liner and casting are continuous about the entire periphery of the needlev circle except at the loactions of the main feed fingers 13 and the auxiliary feed iingers 14. As shown in Fig. 7, the auxiliary feed gap is dened between the cam surfaces 23 and 24 on the liner 17. The main gap in registry with the feed ngers 13 is likewise defined by confronting cam surfaces, one of which is shown at 25 in Fig. 4.

The main gap closing element 19 is substantially conventional in form, conforming to the curvature of the latch ring groove 1S and having its forward end cut away as indicated at 30 and 31 to insure against damage to the needle latches 32 or interference with the yarn 33 passing under the tip of the element 19 from the feed finger 13. The opposite end of the element 19 is provided with an upstanding leg 34 which passes upwardly through a slot 35 overlying the groove 18 and is connected to the conventional actuating rod 36.

`In accordance with the invention, the tip of the main gap closing element 19 actuates the auxiliary gap closing element 22. To this end, the auxiliary gap closing element 22 is biased out of the auxiliary gap, for example, by a spring 42 compressed between a pin 43 in a recess 44 of the casting 16 and a foot 45 at the trailing end of the gap closing element 22. The element 22 is slidabie in the slot 21 between forward and back limit positions determined by engagement of an aperture 36 in the element 22 with a stud 47 intersecting the slot 21.

In the operation of the device, the main gap closer is actuated by the operator 36 to close the main gap. Upon further displacement past the gap, the tip of the element 19 engages the trailing end of the element 22 to displace it circumferentially in the groove 21 against the bias of the spring 42. circumferential displacement of the element 22 causes the leading end thereof to close the gap between the cam surfaces 23 and 24 above the auxillary yarn 49. The gap is held closed until it is desired to withdraw the yarn 49, for example by lifting the feed linger 14. At this point, the main gap closing element 19 is retracted from its extended position, thereby permitting the spring 42 to displace the element 22 out of the auxiliary feed gap. It is not necessary to retract the main gap closer from the main -gap unless it is desired to actuate one of the main feed Ifingers 13. Thus, by

means of the single actuator 36, it is possible to close both the main and auxiliary gaps, close only the main gap while opening the auxiliary' gap, or open both the main and the auxiliary gap.

The invention has been described in connection with an apparatus for providing only a single auxiliary feed, but it is possible to apply the invention to other multifeed machines Without substantial modification.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been herein illustrated and described, it is no-t intended to limit the invention to such disclosure, but changes and modilications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the following claims:

1. For a knitting machine having a latch ring with at least two gaps therein, a first gap closer mountedfor circumferential movement in said latch ring between a rst position out of registry with the lirst gap and a second position intersecting said first gap to close the same, an auxiliary gap closer mounted for circumferential movement in said latch ring between a lfirst position o-ut of registry with said second gap and a second position intersecting said second gap to close the same, and means on said second gap closer operable to engage said iirst gap closer upon displacement thereof beyond said second position to operate said second gap closer toward `its second position upon further displacement of said first gap closer beyond its second position toward a third position, said first gap closer in its third position. maintaining said second gap closer in its second position to thereby close said rst and second gaps in the. latch ring.

2. A knitting machine according to claim l including spring means operable to bias said second gap closer toward its rst position.

3. Apparatus according to claim l wherein said sec- 4 ond gap closer is provided with an elongated aperture therein and including a stud mounted in said latch ring and projecting through said aperture to limit the displacement of said second gap closer between said rst and second positions.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second gap closer extends from said second gap into close proximity to said iirst gap and terminates in an offset portion adapted to be engaged by said first gap closer upon extension thereof beyond said second position thereof within said rst gap.

5. For a knitting machine having a main and an auxiliary feed and a latch ring having gaps in registry with said main and auxiliary feed, gap closing mechanism comprising a gap closing element for the main feed gap and a separate gap-closing element for the auxiliary feed gap and actuating means for displacing said gap-closing elements between positions respectively closing and opening said gaps in registry with and out of registry with said gaps, said actuating means operable in the first position to position said gap-closing elements out of registry with said gaps, in a second position to position said main feed gap-closing element in registry with the gap and said auxiliary feed gap-closing element out of registry with said gap, and in a third position to maintain said main and. auxiliary feed gap-closing elements in registry with their respective gaps to close the same.

References Cited in the tile of this patent o v UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,616

St. Pierre Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Paten-r, No 2Y9462o9 July 2a, 1960 Paul Haas It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the' above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 54V for "36" read 46 Signed and sealed this 4th day of April l96l (SEAL) Attest; ERNEST W. SWIDER ARTHUR w. cRocKER Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

